Can
you imagine if Mount Rushmore was sculpted with George Washington picking his
nose? It would be an outrage to have such an unethical pose to be sculpted in
stone forever. What would it say for the culture of our people? Surely, someone
would not knowingly create a monument of such proportion in an unethical pose.

There is a
sculpture in progress at this time dedicated to the Native American Indian
People clearly depicting an an unethical pose. The Crazy Horse Memorial started
in 1948 by Korczazk Ziolkowski is located in the Black Hills region of South
Dakota. This controversial site is now considered sacred to many Sioux People.

The
memorial depicts the great Oglala Sioux warrior Crazy Horse on horseback
throwing his left arm out over his horse’s head pointing with the index finger
in answer to a question asked by a white man, “Where are your lands now?” Crazy
Horse replied, “My lands are where my dead lie buried.”

Whencompleted it will be the world’s largest sculpture, at a height of 563
feet and a length of 641 feet. At more than three times the height of Niagara
Falls, it is larger than the Pyramid of Giza and far larger than Mount Rushmore.
This monument could soon become the largest oversight in history.

In 1939 Chief
Henry Standing Bear wrote a letter to the prolific sculptor Ziolkowski stating,
“My fellow chiefs and I would like the white man to know that the red man has
great heroes, too.” In a story by Mitchell Smyth, Toronto Star (1999)
page 1, Mitchell Smyth states, “Standing Bears ideas weren’t too ambitious. He
wanted the sculptor to carve the head of a chief.” It is here that we see
where the oversight began; it is the fact that Korczack Ziolkowski took it upon
himself to make the sculpture in the pose with the index finger without consult;
perhaps an honest mistake by a white man.

The
pose of the Crazy Horse Memorial is considered unethical to the traditional
Native American Indian, and cannot be perceived as historically correct. It is
true that many American Indians were into contemporary American culture.
It is not the fault of Indians they lost cultural values. One could say for sure
that many American Indians also use profanity and this would be true. To state a
known fact, not one profane word exists in any American Indian language.
Historically speaking the traditional American Indian does not use profanity,
and does not point with the solitary index finger.

In A Study
of Cultural Differences in Non-Verbal Communication Among Non-Native Speakers
of English by Barbara Jane Carlisle Ed. D, Northern Arizona University
(1993) Carlisle cites. "In Mexico one points with the chin, whereas
American Indians and certain other people point with the lips.” (Eisenberg &
Smith 1971).

The elder brother
of Chief Henry Standing Bear, Luther Standing Bear, wrote a book published in
1926 titled My People the Sioux. Onpage 51 Luther Standing
Bear writes, “When the scout pointed he used his thumb instead of the first
finger.” It is important to note that Chief Luther Standing Bear is an
Oglala Sioux, the same tribe as Crazy Horse, and lived in the same period.

In a book written
by Irvy W. Goosen, Dine’ Bizaad; Speak, Read, Write Navajo (1995),
on page eight Goosen states “Your model will likely point with the whole
hand. Pointing with a finger is considered unethical, especially by the older
people.” Clearly, this is evidence that traditionally American Indian
people do not point with a solitary finger. There are many articles to further
support this fact.

There are as many
reasons for not pointing with the fingers, as there are tribes. It is considered
accusatory in almost every culture. Most of us are taught as children not to
point, that it is considered rude behavior. There are many cultures of the same
opinion. It is however a social norm in the modern day culture of the
United States of America to point with the index finger.

To be culturally
and historically correct the pose of the Crazy Horse Memorial must be changed.
To be correct the hand should be open with all fingers pointing outward or
pointing with the thumb as described by Sioux Chief Luther Standing Bear. The
construction of the monument at this time would allow for such change.

Construction of
the hand has not yet begun, as Korczack Ziolkowski said to his wife in his last
words before death, “You must work on the mountain -- but go slowly so you do it
right.” www.crazyhorse.org (2006). The
progress has been slow and there is time to keep with Korczack’s wishes to do it
right.

Crazy Horse was
chosen as the model for this monument although there have never been any
pictures taken of him; he did not allow it. Crazy Horse was selected by
Ziolkowski because he was a great warrior and chief.

Crazy Horse was
selected as the subject of the memorial because, “He is a hero not only
because of his skill in battle, but also because of his character and his
loyalty to his people. He is remembered for how he cared for the elderly, the
ill, the widowed, and the children. His dedication to his personal vision caused
him to devote his life to serving his people and preserving their valued
culture”

Preserving
their valued culture, which is what this, is all about! It is Crazy Horse’s
vision of preserving valued culture; it is what must be done. No matter how you
feel about the monument, one fact remains, a monument being constructed in the
Black Hills and it will likely be there as long as mother earth. It will stand
the test of time and become one of the wonders of the world; it should stand
historically and culturally correct to the people that it is dedicated.

To quote Ruth
Ziolkowski wife of the sculptor Korczack Ziolkowski, “This is not a memorial to
one man, but to a race of people.” Indian Country Today (1996).

Many people of
the American Indian race do not point with their fingers to this day. If we are
to dedicate a memorial of such magnitude to a race of people then it is our duty
to make it culturally and historically correct.

The public is
funding the Crazy Horse Memorial. The Ziolkowski family has turned down millions
upon millions of dollars from the federal government to complete the sculpture.

Therefore, they
leave it up to us to fund the project as individuals through admission fees and
private donations. Therefore, it is “us” the general public, who are in essence
hiring the Ziolkowskis to construct a memorial to the Native American Indian
People of North America. We should then show them that we have respect for the
cultural values of Crazy Horse and his people and we wish to have the monument
changed. We can do this by personally visiting the monument, which is located
outside of Custer, South Dakota just minutes away from Mount Rushmore.

We may wish to
send them a letter and offer them a donation, if they will change the unethical
pose. The address is Crazy Horse Memorial, Avenue of the Chiefs, Crazy Horse,
South Dakota, 57730. We may also send them a facsimile message to Fax # (605)
673-2185. Call them personally; ask to speak to Ruth or Cassimere. Their
phone number is (605) 673-4681. We can also write them a letter and send it via
e-mail. The e-mail address is
memorial@crazyhorse.org

Changing the face
of the earth with a monument that will stand for eternity should be done with
dignity and respect to the people it represents. It will be up to us to make
sure that this is done. Please help to preserve the cultural history of the
American Indian People and take a few minutes to let the Ziolkowski family know
how we feel about the construction of the monument.

References

A college on the
mountain an impossible dream of sculptor? (July 22, 1996)

Indian Country
Today Vol.16, Issue 3; pg. B1 Oneida, N.Y.

Carlisle, B.J.
(1993). A study of cultural differences in non-verbal
Communication among non-native speakers of English (pp. 19)